Lilianna S.
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1B |
| Riley G. |
3B |
| Juliana J. |
1B |
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December 21 - January 3
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Christmas Break |
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January 18
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MLK Holiday |
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February 20
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President's Day |
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April 13 - 21
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Easter Break |
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May 29
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Memorial Day |
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June 16
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Last Day of School |
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Cater Tots hot lunch will not be available on Wednesday, January 4.
Please make arrangements for your child to bring lunch from home that day.
Thank you!
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After school ALEKS is cancelled on Tuesday, January 20.
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Dear St. Francis of Assisi Catholic School Families,
The weekly faculty prayer service is one of my favorite SFA traditions. I am inspired by the message and the bonds shared with and among the faculty. The inspiration for this week's message came from last Friday's faculty prayer service led by 5th grade teacher, Judy Russell.
One of the most popular activities of Advent and the Christmas season is the singing of carols. I am sure everyone has a favorite Christmas carol that evokes fond memories and all carols express happiness and joy. However, as I learned last Friday, not all carols were composed in happy or joyful circumstances and the "Twelve Days of Christmas" was one such carol. When Henry VIII had his falling out with Pope Clement VII, he set about to dismantle the Catholic Church and to establish the Church of England. Catholics were not allowed to practice their faith openly or even in private; if they were caught, the consequences were severe: heavy fines, imprisonment, or even death. So, Catholics devised a "coded" carol as an instruction tool for their children. It was called the "Twelve Days of Christmas" and its images covered the essentials of their Catholic faith. The "true love" is God; the "me" is every baptized person; the "partridge in a pear tree" is Jesus and his cross; the "two turtle doves" are the New and Old Testament; the "three French hens" are faith, hope, and charity; the "four birds" are the four Gospels; the "five golden rings" are the Pentateuch which were the first books of the Hebrew scripture that contained the "law" or teaching and instructions; the "six geese-a-laying" are the six days of creation; the "seven swans" the Gifts of the Holy Spirit; the "eight maids" the Beatitudes; the "nine ladies dancing" the fruits of the Holy Spirit, the "ten lords" the ten commandments; the "eleven pipers" the eleven faithful Apostles; the "twelve drummers" the twelve articles of faith in the Apostles Creed.
Another popular Christmas activity is to erect a Christmas tree. Most likely the Christmas tree had its origin through the Christmas Candle where Christians would hang apples and other meaningful items on the tree, including small candles to remind them of God's gift to them of Christ the Savior, the "light of the world".
A third popular Christmas activity is the setting out of the crib, which is an attempt to reconstruct the stable and manger environment in which Christ was born. The crib as we know it, dates from St. Francis of Assisi who, on Christmas Eve 1223, celebrated the stable scene with a sermon about the humble surroundings into which Jesus was born in the humble town of Bethlehem.
These symbols of Christmas help in celebrating the real meaning of Christmas: the birth of Jesus, God's son. It is somewhat of a forlorn wish that peace will be in our home during the Christmas period, as peace runs the great risk of being overrun by feverish activity, intense focus on material gifts, and rising stress levels. Let's make Christmas what it should be; a time of great celebration within an atmosphere of peace and joy.
Tom Waszak
Principal
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St. Francis of Assisi Catholic School students will be performing a reportoire of Christmas songs at this popular annual event.
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| Parking Rules During Special Events |
With the upcoming holiday functions, please note that state and local traffic laws are in effect on East Side Circle as well as in the school parking lot. No Parking along the red curbs in the school parking lot will be strictly enforced; therefore, DO NOT PARK ALONG THE RED CURBS. If your vehicle is seen parked at the red curb, you will be asked to move it immediately. These areas are specifically designated for emergency vehicles only. The only exception will be during carline and will only be authorized by school personnel during this time.
Thank you for your support and understanding as we try our best to keep everyone at St. Francis safe. We wish you and your families a wonderful Christmas Season!
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Session Two of After School Enrichment Classes will run from January 9 - March 3, 2017. Below is a list of classes offered by day with the corresponding grade levels. A packet with further details will be sent home in tomorrow's Thursday Folder. To download registration forms please visit the "Enrichment" page at
www.sfayl.org
.
We ask that all forms or registration emails be completed by January 5, 2017 to allow instructors ample time gauge enrollment and prepare materials.
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Class
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Day
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Time
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Grade
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| Art |
Monday
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3:00 pm - 4:00 pm |
3-5 |
| Academic Chess |
Monday |
2:30 pm - 3:50 pm |
1-6 |
| Academic Origami |
Tuesday |
2:50 pm - 3:30 pm |
1-6 |
| Guitar / Ukulele |
Tuesday/
Friday
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2:50 pm - 3:50 pm
or
12:15pm - 1:15 pm
|
K-8 |
| Speech and Debate |
Wednesday
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3:00 pm - 4:00 pm |
5-8 |
| Lego |
Thursday |
2:50 pm - 3:50 pm |
1-5 |
| Soccer Shots |
Friday |
2:50 pm - 3:20 pm
or
12:00 pm - 12:30 pm
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K-2 |
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| Cyber Safety Speaker - January 10 |
On
January 10, 2017,
St. Francis of Assisi Catholic School will be hosting a special presentation on cyber safety. A similar presentation has been done in the past, but we felt it was appropriate to once again remind parents and students of the necessary precautions and helpful habits in regards to online activity.
We have hired Clay Cranford, a Sergeant for one of Southern California's largest law enforcement agencies and the owner of Total Safety Solutions, to speak on two occasions at St. Francis. The first is a student assembly for 6-8 graders and the second is a parent night (parents from all grade levels are invited to attend). The student assembly will be held at 8:15 am on January 10, 2017, and the parent presentation will be that evening at 6:30 pm in the Seamus Glynn Center. There is no cost to attend the presentation. We encourage all St. Francis parents to attend this FREE event.
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| Seussical Jr. Coming to SFAYL this Spring! |
St. Francis of Assisi Catholic School will be presenting it's first musical production, Seussical Jr., this Spring. We will be hosting a parent night, auditions, and rehearsals beginning in February of 2017. The production will be managed by Stagelight Family Productions.
We are excited to branch out and offer a new way for our students to be exposed to performing arts. No theater experience is necessary to participate. Thank you for your support as we launch this new activity. For more information please download the file below.
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Pre-K Christmas Programs are on Friday, December 16 in the Seamus Glynn Center.
- Pre-K C - 8:45 am
- Pre-K A and Pre-K B - 9:45 am
Remember to bring $5 wrapped book to be from our special guest.
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DC Dining - January 11
New Season Pass |
DC Dining for the remainder of the school year will begin again on
Wednesday, January 11.
PLEASE NOTE: THERE WILL NOT BE DC DINING ON WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 4, THE DAY WE RETURN FROM CHRISTMAS BREAK.
Orders for January 11 are due
8:00 am on Monday, January 10 in order to accurately tally the number of meals needed.
We are finalizing our vendors for the remainder of the school year in order to create a "Season Pass" Order Form for January - June. Once complete the "Season Pass" will be posted on our website. You can click the link below to download the form starting tomorrow morning.
Thank you for your support!
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Campus Ministry Blanket Drive
Now - December 16 |
St. Francis of Assisi Catholic School Campus Ministry is sponsoring our annual Blanket Drive benefitting Mary's Kitchen. Please bring adult sized new and gently used blankets to your classroom before December 16 to participate.
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| 6th Grade Project Linus Pizza Lunch |
6th Grade
Christian Service Project
Tuesday, January 10, 2017
Cost: $5.00
Includes: Papa John's Pizza, water, and dessert
Please support our 6th Grade class as they raise funds towards Project Linus, a program that supplies handmade blankets to children who are seriously ill, traumatized, or otherwise in need.
Use the form provided in your child's Thursday Folder on December 8, or download one from the link below or on the St. Francis website to order Papa John's Pizza for lunch on Tuesday, January 10, 2017. All proceeds generated will be used to cover the costs of material to make Project Linus blankets.
Orders are due by
Friday, January 6, 2017!
Thank you for your support,
The 6th Grade Class
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Donations Needed for
Moonlight Masquerade Auction Gala
February 25, 2017 |
Donations are needed for the 2017 Auction Gala!
We are in need of high quality auction items for the 2017 Auction Gala. Please consider making a donation to our school's largest fundraising event and take advantage of one final opportunity for a tax write off in 2016. Your gift can make a difference for our students!
Below are samples of the types of items you or your business can donate to ensure a high level of bidding participation:
- Technology - i.e., wireless headphones, Google Home or Amazon Echo, Apple Watch Series 2, drone, Fitbit, bluetooth speakers, GoPro.
- Access to timeshares or vacation homes - i.e., Big Bear, Mammoth and Palm Springs or other desirable locations.
- Rounds of golf at a country club.
- Tickets to sporting events, theater and/or cultural events - i.e., Ducks, Angels, Dodgers, Lakers, South Coast Repertory Theatre and Pantages Theater tickets.
- Gift certificates to restaurants or department stores - i.e., The American Girl Store, Nordstrom, Macy's, William-Sonoma, etc.
- Passes to Legoland, Disneyland, SeaWorld or Knott's Berry Farm.
Please contact Meichele Cary at
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| Order By: |
Receive By: |
| 12/10 |
12/14 |
| 1/7 |
1/11 |
Please note: There will not be a Scrip order placed on
December 17 due to the Christmas Break.
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Thank you to the
parents
who
volunteer to create our
the office each month at St. Francis. Be sure to check out our new boards with pictures of the Fall Spirit Rally and our recent Masses!
Check out a full list of school opportunities available on our
SignUp.com
page or visit our website for more details about volunteering.
We are still in need of carline volunteers in the morning. We need help on Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays and most especially Thursdays. Please contact Karen Carlos at [email protected]
if you would like to help. Thank you!
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Chairpersons Needed!
Father Seamus Glynn Tuition Assistance Dances |
The Development Committee is looking for a parent volunteer to Chair our Annual Father Seamus Glynn Tuition Assistance Dances this Spring . Also known as the Father-Daughter Dance and the Mother-Son Dance, these events are typically held in May. All proceeds from the dances go directly to our Tuition Assistance Fund.
Please consider donating your time to benefit a great cause. For more information on how you can help please contact Tawna Khamo at [email protected]. Thank you!
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| Choral Concert at Christ Cathedral |
Celebrate the joy of this Holy Season with spectacular Carol settings sung by the Choirs of Christ Cathedral!
December 16, 2016
7:30 am - 9:00 pm
Christ Cathedral Campus Arboretum
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| Upcoming Events at Mater Dei High School |
As we begin the holiday season, we wanted to inform you of some wonderful events coming up for Future Monarchs.
Athletic Camps
- The Mater Dei Baseball team will be holding a winter camp for students in grade 2-8. The camp will be held on December 26 - 28 from 9:00 am to noon on the MD baseball field. To register your son for this camp click here.
- More information coming soon to our website for our Mater Dei winter swim camp.
Performing Arts Camps
- The Mater Dei Music Academy invites you to be a part of the Band! This program is open to any student learning an instrument in grades 5-8 and of all levels of ability. Students are given the opportunity to participate in a number of performances with the great Mater Dei Band! The academy is Mondays and Thursdays, 6:00 pm - 8:00 pm in the Mater Dei Band Room. For more information, please contact Associate Director, Taylor Smith at [email protected].
- Save the Date! The Mater Dei Junior High Honor Choir will be performing on Thursday, March 17, 2017 from 7:30 pm-9:30 pm at Segerstrom Hall. For more information on the Junior High Honor Choir and for rehearsal dates click here.
Admissions Events
- On January 12, 2017 Mater Dei will host our second Information Night. Campus tours will begin at 6:00 pm and our presentation will begin promptly at 7:00 pm in the Meruelo Athletic Center. All of our Department Chairs, Directors, Club Moderators and Coaches will be available for questions and there will be information sessions on Financial Aid, Technology and more. For questions, please call (714) 754-1175.
- On January 30, 2017 Mater Dei will host our first ever Athletic Information Night. If you plan on being a part of the Mater Dei Athletics program, you will not want to miss this informative evening. The event will start at 7:00 pm in our Meruelo Athletic Center.
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